Cresting for Late Roman Ridge helms

[Caius Valens]

Hi Constaine here I was wondering we have all scene art work showing Late Roman troops wearing horse hair crests. I was wondering well how does one attache them to the helm?I am thinking of cresting my ridge helm down the road in the near future. If any one has tips on how to do it that would be great. Any pics of Reenactors with such helms that would be useful Take care Constaine and thanks

[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Constaine,
LR helmets rarely had horsehair crests. Most of them had metal crests to secure the ridge of their helmet, leaving no room for attached crests. I know of just one: the Augst helmet which had slits, apparently for a detachable crest.

[Theodosius the Great]

Ave Vortigern,

Does anyone make a reproduction of that model ?

I haven't even seen it :?

[Robert Vermaat]

Yes, I have a picture (two in fact) of the museum reconstruction, but not uploaded yet. If you really want to see it :lol: I can show it... It's not what you would say a 'beauty'...

[Uwe Bahr]

Hi Constaine,

I remember that the late Roman helmet of Budapest (a highly decorated officers helmet with gilded surface and stones, very similar to the famous Berkasovo I) has in total 4 little buckles at the outside. There is no ridge as the Berkasovo I has it, but only some stones running along the ridge. So a crest might be attachable. Two buckles are at the ridge at the front and back and one on each side. The buckles are rather rusted and not good visible at the photo and I have my books not by the hand, but IIRC the red marks show the position of the buckles correctly:



Greets - Uwe

[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Uwe,
of course that could be marks for an attached crest, but so far no reconstruction has dared to interpret it that way.

The Augst reconstructions:

Here's the helemt from above, showing the slits. It is posible that the crest was larger, all the way to the front:

[Theodosius the Great]

Wow, great pics :!:

Thanks for posting them, Valerius.

Know if there's an off the shelf replica of this Augst helmet ?

[Robert Vermaat]

I think dawn of Time Crafts once had a replica of this helemt for sale (without the crest). But if they are still selling anything? I don't even know if their last address in Germany is correct ..

[Caius Valens]

Hi Constaine here thanks for the heads up Robert, I was under the imperssion that the helms were crested. In that light perhaps I will not be cresting mine then. Cheers Constaine

[Robert Vermaat]

Well,
You could try a detachable one. it's authentic and you could remove it at will. I'm sure it would look cool!

[ambrosius]

Hi Costaine,

Yes, I'd always thought late-Roman helmets would look better with
some sort of crest (and less 'cheap-and-nasty' compared to earlier
forms). I've always thought that the Intercissa with the metal crest
looked tailor-made to support a hair crest-box. In fact, if anything, compared to 1st c. helmet crest attachments, this looks far more
sturdy and designed for the purpose. The angle of the Intercissa
metal crest would also tip any hair crest-box up at the front and
stop the inevitable 'droop' of the hair into the legionary's eyes.

Here's the helemt from above, showing the slits. It is posible that the crest was larger, all the way to the front:

Yes Robert, that would look even better. This reconstruction makes
the helmet look a bit like a shaving brush. :lol:

Ambrosius[/quote]

[Conal]

try this one

http://www.armae.com/antiquite/111casquesromains.htm

[Lvcivs Commodvs Cicero]

I prefer my metal crest and it differentiates me from an Imperial roman.

[Robert Vermaat]

Yes Robert, that would look even better. This reconstruction makes the helmet look a bit like a shaving brush. :lol:

Here is a study of the Augst (Intercisa I type) helmet that I just did, lengthening the crest based on the strong probability of a slit further up front:

[Tarbicus]

Nice job!